The Maple Leafs just finished recording their best October since the lockout, at least where wins are concerned, but there are several areas in which they can improve, most notably in the department of penalty killing. Individually, there are some players who could pull up their socks a bit. And in no particular order, here they are:

1. Luke Schenn

Okay, so maybe Schenn is the guy who has people scratching their heads the most. If his hefty new contract was a weight on his shoulders to begin the regular season, there is no way it should be now. A month in, and no one would have guessed that of the six regular Leafs defencemen, Schenn would be pulling up the rear in average ice time with 14 minutes 59 seconds a game. Schenn has not relaxed nearly as much as he should have, but the best part is that he is just 21, and, despite his struggles, leads Leafs defencemen with 26 hits. Plenty of time for him to work out the kinks, but the exposure could grow if the Leafs don’t keep the wins coming.

2. Philippe Dupuis

Somewhere Darryl Boyce has to be scratching his head over this. Dupuis made the team because he was, the story went, a better penalty killer than Boyce. But the Leafs remain mired near the bottom of the NHL when it comes to killing penalties. They’re aggressive, but Dupuis has not been overly noticeable (among forwards, only David Steckel is on the ice more for penalty killing). What’s more, Dupuis has not contributed so much as a point in 10 games. We realize he was not signed in the summer to put the puck in the net, but a little something here or there would be nice.

3. Jonas Gustavsson

Whenever Gustavsson allows a soft goal, we’re reminded he is not yet ready for prime time. Backup goalies are there to not only provide relief when the starter needs a break (or, like James Reimer, injured), but to ensure there’s not a large dip in netminding when he is in. Gustavsson has won three times in six appearances, but his 3.72 goals-against average and .888 save percentage tell another side of the story. Some Leafs fans have been clamouring for Ben Scrivens, who had a great camp, to get a start. A chance for Scrivens might not be far off if Gustavsson can’t be consistent.

4. Nikolai Kulemin

No team will go far with just one line that can score, and Kulemin has not demonstrated that his career-best 30 goals last season were anything more than a flash in the pan. With two goals in 11 games, Kulemin is on pace to score exactly half of that provided he plays in all 82 games. Observers like to say that it’s a good sign if players are getting scoring chances. But Kulemin’s 14 shots on goal, fewer than Steckel and the demoted Matt Frattin, never mind the guys on the No. 1 line, is too low.

5. Tyler Bozak

Bozak used to get some solid scoring opportunities last year, but now, those are not even coming. With zero goals and five assists in nine games (all at even-strength, mind you), Bozak is giving credence to all of those who figured he had no business playing on the first line. Steckel is excellent on faceoffs, but he has not been able to spread that skill around. Bozak is a liability in the circle, winning only 45% of his draws, which had him in 73rd spot in the NHL before Tuesday’s games.